Ethyl hydroxyethylcellulose is commonly used as an additive for printing ink. This cellulose ester not only extends the ink but also provides rheological control at printing viscosities and gives an ink whose print has enhanced abrasion resistance. It is, however, quite expensive and tends to degrade the gloss of print.
It has now been found that blending such a cellulose ester with a polymeric product of the invention not only provides a less expensive additive without loss of abrasion resistance, but also gives an ink whose print has improved gloss and enhanced color intensity, especially at the red end of the spectrum.
In addition, the polymeric product of the invention, when laid down as a film on a substrate, demonstrates dramatic hydrophobicity, which makes it useful as a water-repellant coating for glass and metal wherever such things are employed.